Environmental Chemistry and Toxicology

Research in Environmental Chemistry and Toxicology at Duke focuses on the fate and effects of natural and anthropogenic stressors, particularly chemicals, in the environment.

Ongoing research topics include:

environmental implications of nanotechnology;

mechanisms underlying chemical fate and transport;

modeling of atmospheric transport and chemistry;

molecular mechanisms of toxicity and adaptation;

toxicogenomics;

impacts on populations, communities and ecosystems; and

environmental risk assessment.

Opportunities for Graduate/Undergraduate Study

The department is not currently offering a graduate curriculum in environmental chemistry and toxicology, however, there are research opportunities with the faculty members below. The department's research efforts are highly interdisciplinary and collaborative. Undergraduate students have the opportunity to pursue a civil engineering/biomedical engineering dual major, with a focus on environmental and biomedical toxicology.

Primary Faculty

Research Interests: Aerosols are generated by a variety of natural and anthropogenic sources. I am interested in the processes that emit, transform and deposit particulate matter. A current focus of my research is how particles in the atmosphere directly modify the surface radiation balance of the Earth. This is of...

Research Interests: Environmental analytical chemistry and applications of high resolution mass spectrometry to trace organic contaminant analysis, environmental fate and effects of carbon nanomaterials in the aquatic environment, proteomics in environmental toxicology, and mechanisms of environmental endocrine...

Research Interests: Identifying genetic adaptation mechanisms resulting from anthropogenic contaminant exposure; developing biosensors capable of pathogen and contaminant detection in water and air; studying the impact of emerging contaminants on aquatic microbial ecology; and the development of novel techniques for...

Adjunct Faculty

Adjunct Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Research Interests: Physical chemistry of organic, inorganic, and heterogeneous contaminants; physicochemical properties of surfaces; mechanisms of coagulation and flocculation; water and wastewater treatment.

Research Interests: Relation between nanostructure of materials and their reactivity and toxicity. Characterization of the structure of ultra-small (colloids and molecular clusters), and/or amorphous and highly divided materials down to the molecular scale.

Adjunct Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Research Interests: Measurement and modeling research in environmental systems, including high throughput risk screening, tracer studies, development of pollution collection devices, and biosystem engineering. Life cycle analysis and sustainable design.